Animal exerciser



June 22, 1954 E, c v 2,681,638

ANIMAL EXERCISER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 24, 1950 Fig.2

Fig. 4

Inventor Edward B. Carve/l June 22, 1954 Filed Oct. 24, 1950 E. B. CARVELL ANIMAL EXERCISER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Edward B! Carve/I WWW Patented June 22, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in animal exercisers and more particularly to the type of exerciser which may be alternatively employed as a cage.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device which is adapted to be rolled by an animal in order that the animal may be exercised.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hollow rolling device with a tread surface for exercising an animal and wherein the rolling device is provided with an openable closure whereby the device may be employed as a cage when not exercisingthe animal.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an animal exerciser which is simple in construction and economical of manufacture.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description to follow. The best forms in which I have contemplated applying my invention are clearly i1- lustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken substantially along the plane of line l-i of Figure 2 Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on a diameter of the device;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view similar to Figure 1 but wherein the openable closure is shown in open position;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the device when employed as a cage;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 6 is a horizontal transverse sectional View taken substantially along the plane of line 6-6 of Figure 5; and

Figure '7 is a detail view of the pin and slotarrangement for securing the sectional portions of the form of the invention disclosed in Figures 5 and 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, the numeral [0 designates generally one form of the animal exerciser While the numeral 12 designates generally a modified form of animal exerciser.

In the first form of animal exerciser ill, a pair of substantially circular disks 14 formed of clear plastic or the like are secured in spaced parallel relation by a plurality of bars it, conventional means being employed for securing the disks to the ends of the bars [6. A wire mesh means 18 is secured to the inner faces of the bars It to provide a cage of cylindrical form and also to provide a tread surface for exercising an animal, the animal being permitted to roll the exerciser on the disks M. It should be noted that the bars it are placed in spaced relation to the periphery of the disks it so that the tread material I8 is in spaced relation to the floor or ground upon which the device is adapted to be rolled, as a protection for the animals feet and for permitting free rolling of the disks.

As seen best in Figure 2, a section of the wire mesh means it, designated by the numeral til is hingedly connected to the main portion of the wire mesh means [3 by means of a plurality of rings 22. The opposite free edge of the Wire mesh means 28 is secured to a flat bar 24 having a pin 2% rotatably mounted therein. The pin 2% provides a latch by means of the angulated end 23 which is adapted to be positioned behind the latch bar 38 which is in turn secured to the spacer bar 1?, as seen in Figure 1.

When the device is to be used as an animal exerciser, it may be placed on the edges oi the disks M for rolling in response to the animals action against the tread means 18. when the device is to be used as a cage, it is placed upon the flat side of one of the disks Hi as in Figure 4 and the openable closure 20 may be pivoted to open position by means of the latch pin 26 as shown in Figure 3. The animal may then be placed within the cage and provided with food and water as desired. The openable closure may then be pivoted to closed position and latched.

In the form of the animal exerciser shown in Figures 5 through '7, a pair of substantially semispherical elements 32 and 3d are provided. The semi-spherical element 32 is provided with a reduced spherical portion adjacent the open side at 38 with a pin 38 projecting outwardly therefrom. The semi-spherical element 3d is provided with a recessed portion at 40 for engagement over the reduced peripheral portion of the other element 32 and has a slot d2 of L-shape for receiving the pin 38 whereby the two elements 32 and 3 3 may be secured together.

Each of the elements 32 and 34 is formed of an interior shell portion 44 and an exterior shell portion 46 which may be molded together to form integral semi-spherical sections by any conventional means desired. The material from which the animal exerciser l2 may be made is clear plastic so that the device may be used as a cage, and so that the animal may be viewed from the exterior of the cage for display purposes and the like. The exterior shell portion 40 is provided with a plurality of grooves 48 to provide a tread surface when the device is to be used as an animal exerciser with the animal on the exterior of the ball. A plurality of apertures 50 are formed in the sphere to provide communication between the interior of the ball and the atmosphere whereby when an animal is positioned within the ball, the atmosphere will be in free communication with the interior.

In order that the animal exerciser l2 may be employed as an animal exerciser when the animal is in the interior of the sphere, wire mesh means 52 may be secured to the inner surface of the inner portion 4a to provide a tread surface. However, other means may be employed for forming the tread surface such as grooves or a roughened surface.

From the foregoing description, taken in conjuction with the drawings, it is apparent that an animal exerciser has been provided which will accomplish all of the objects hereinabove set forth, and further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An animal exerciser comprising a pair of disks of substantially circular form, a plurality of spacing bars connecting said disks and maintaining the disks in spaced relation, said spacing bars being connected to said disks inwardly of the peripheral edges of said disks, and wire mesh means secured to said bars to enclose a cylindrical cage and provide a tread for exercising an animal, one portion of said wire mesh means being hingedly secured to one of said bars to provide an openable closure for the cage, and a latch means for securing said closure in closed position, said latch means including a keeper on said one bar and a latching element on said hinged portion. V

2. An animal exerciser comprising a pair of disks of substantially circular form, a plurality of spacing bars connecting said disks and maintaining the disks in spaced relation, said spacing bars being connected to said disks inwardly of the peripheral edges of said disks, and means secured to said bars to enclose a cylindrical cage and provide a tread for exercising an animal, one portion of said means being hingedly secured to one of said bars to provide an openable closure for the case.

3. An animal exerciser and cage comprising a pair of spaced, parallel disks, a plurality of spacing bars interconnecting said disks, said spacing bars being circuniferentially spaced around said disks and being secured to said disks inwardly of the peripheral edges thereof, foraminous screening secured to said spacing bars and extending therearound and spaced inwardly of the peripheral edges of said disk, said screening constituting a cylindrical wall enclosing the spaces between said disks to provide a cage, one section of screening extending between two of said spacing bars constituting a pivotally secured door affording access into the interior of the cage and latch means for retaining said door in closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 217,724 Hendryx May 15, 1883 796,794 Baur Aug. 8, 1905 883,485 Ridgway Mar. 31, 1908 1,212,771 Holland Jan. 1 1917 1,258,684 Johnson Mar. 12, 1918 1,521,133 Tinker Dec. 30, 1924 1,632,380 Marcus June 14, 1927 2,068,210 Walker Jan. 19, 1937 2,080,508 Sackett May 18, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 343,104 Italy Sept. 12, 1936 500,989 Great Britain 1 Feb. 20, 1939 

